Currently, ChatGPT, through its integration with platforms like Microsoft Copilot, doesn’t directly compete with Google Search as a general information retrieval tool in Australia. However, it *does* present a competitive alternative for specific marketing functions, particularly content creation and customer interaction, leveraging large language models (LLMs) to generate text-based outputs.
As of December 2025, Microsoft Copilot, powered by OpenAI’s GPT-4o, is available in Australia and integrates with Microsoft 365 applications widely used by Australian SMBs. This allows businesses to generate marketing copy, draft social media posts, summarise reports, and even create initial website content directly within tools like Word and PowerPoint. Copilot Pro, a subscription service, offers prioritised access and faster performance. ChatGPT Plus subscribers also gain access to GPT Store apps, some of which focus on marketing tasks. Google’s Gemini Advanced, also available in Australia, offers similar LLM capabilities. A key difference is ChatGPT’s focus on conversational interaction; businesses can use the API to build custom chatbots for customer service or lead generation, potentially reducing reliance on Google’s advertising platforms for initial customer contact. Data residency concerns are addressed by Microsoft’s Australian data centres, important for compliance with Australian privacy laws. In 2026, we anticipate further refinement of these LLMs, potentially including improved multilingual support for Australia’s diverse population.
Ultimately, ChatGPT and similar LLMs function by predicting the most probable sequence of text based on the input prompt and the vast dataset they were trained on, offering a distinct approach to information access and content generation compared to Google’s indexing and ranking of web pages.
